Table top



March 11, 1930. E. w. BONFIELD TABLE TOP Filed April 11, 1927 i 5 m; 0 WWW if Patented Mar. 11, 1930 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE moms w. BONFIELD, or GRAND RAPIDS,

MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB TO AMERICAN BOX.

BOARD COMPANY, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN TABLE TOP Application filed April 11,

This invention relates to tables and is primarily concerned with the production of a top for tables of light construction, like those commonly known as card tables. It isa pmmary object and purpose of the present lnvention to construct a top for a table to which any desired supporting legs may be attached, using an outer frame and attaching thereto an upper top member which is to be of paper board stock or similar material, thls being very economical to use and greatly reducing the cost of manufacture.

It is a further object and purpose of the present invention to construct a table top as outlined, using the paper or fiber board top member and attach it to the surrounding frame with provision made for the normal expansion or contraction which the paper board sheet is subject and permitting it to expand and contract without buckling or tearing so at all times the upper surface of the table will remain smooth. The invention further consists in very simple and practical means for making a construction .by means of which these results are attained as well as many others not at this time specifically stated, but which will appear as an understanding of the invention as had from the following description taken in connection with the accompanyin drawings, in which Fig. 1 isa perspective view of the complete table top made in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section therethrough.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a corner of the top sheet as it is prepared for application to the outer frame, and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view, somewhat enlarged, showing the construction by means of which the top sheet is attached and held in place on the side frame members.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawing.

In the construction of the top a frame is provided consisting of side and end pieces 1 of wood, preferably, each 'of which at its outer and upper edge portion is formed with 50 an upwardly projecting lip 2 which extends a 1927. Serial No. 182,623.

short distance above the adj acent upper side 3 of the frame member. The frame may be of any desired outline and in the drawin is shown as being made of four frame mem rs 1 which are connected attheir corners in any suitable manner, making a square frame.

The top sheet 4 of paper board or similar material is located against the u per sides 3 of the frame members 1 and is o a size such that normally its edges are located inward a short distance from the inner sides of the li s 2, providing space for any ex ansion that t e top sheet may undergo. Be ore placing said sheet on theframe grooves 5 are made in its upper side entirely around the sheet paralleling its edges as shown. These grooves are made by compressing the material, it being well known that paper board is capable of compression so that the grooves made therein in the u per side do not result in any downwardly ulging of material at the under side of said sheet below said grooves.

\Vhen the top sheet 4 is thus applied to the frame it is secured thereon permanently by means of sheet metal border strips, each of which consists of an upper horizontal section 6 the free edge of which is curved downwardly and inwardly makin the curved lip 7 while at the outer edge 0 the section 6 a second section 8 is turned downwardly at right angles. These border strips are placed against the frame members 1, sections 8 hearing against the outer sides thereof, while the upper horizontal sections 6 extend over the lips 2 and to the grooves 5 of the sheet 4, the downwardly and inwardly curved terminal lips 7 entering said grooves. This is fully shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Small nails or brads 9 may be passed through the downwardly extending sections 8 of the border strips and driven into the frame members 1 to make a secure and permanent attachment of said border strips to the frame.

A top construction of the kind described permits the use of a paper board top sheet and provides for any contraction or expansion thereof under varying atmospheric conditions. The sheet may expand as there is sufficient space between the edges and the lips 8, and suflicientspace is also allowed 190 therefor between the edges of the lips 7 and the inner sides of the grooves 5. It may also contract as there is plenty of space allowed therefor. The top sheet is supported on the frame members 1, lying against the upper sides 3 and if necessary or desirable, it may be further reinforced and supported by the cross member or members 10 extending across between opposite sides of the frame under the top sheet. The thickness of the paper board sheet 4 is substantially equal or slightly more than the height of the lips 2. Those portions of the top sheet 4 outside of the grooves 5 may be compressed so that the thickness issli htly reduced whereby when the metal border strips are attached. the upper sides of said'strips and the upper surface of the sheet 4 are substantially flush. This makes a smooth and substantially unbroken surface so that no projections are present in any manner serving to stop the movement of cards over the top.

The construction is practical to manufacture and may be produced at low cost. The paper board material used is light in weight and its surface may be finished in any desired manner. The invention is defined in the appended claims and 1s to be considered comprehensive over all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. A table top comprising an open frame having an upwardly projecting lip entirely around the same at its outer edge, a covering sheet located over said frame against the upper sides thereof within said lip, the edges of said cover sheet lying inwardly a short distance from the inner sides of the lip, said covering sheet on its upper side having grooves therein paralleling the edges of the sheet, and metallic holding strips attached to the outer sides of the frame and extending inwardly over said lip and over the edge portions of said covering sheet to the grooves therein, said holding strips at their inner free edges extending downwardly into said grooves.

2. A table top comprising an open frame, a cover sheet of paper board or like material located over said frame, holding strips of sheet metal attached to the outer sides of the frame and extending over the edge portion. of the cover sheet, said cover sheet having grooves paralleling its edges in the upper si es into which the inner free edges of the holding strips enter.

3. A table top comprising an open frame formed with an upstanding lip at its outer edges around the same, a cover sheet of paper board or like material located over said frame within said lip having its edges spaced from the lip, and retaining means attached to the frame extending over the lip and the edge portions of the cover sheet, said cover sheet having grooves in its upper side paralleling 

